ORGANISATIONAL MODELS IN AGRICULTURE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SMALL FARMERS

Agricultural value chains can be understood as the systems of people, organizations andactivities needed to create process and deliver agricultural products from producers toconsumers. Over time and due to huge changes that have happened in the surroundings,agricultural value chains have become very integrated and complex. Small farmers canprosper by joining in modern higher-level agricultural value chains, but there are numerousobstacles, as well. The work presents the typology of organizational models for agriculturalproduction that consists of the models organised by producers, agribusiness companies(processors, retail chains, and intermediaries), facilitators (governments, non-governmentalorganisations) and completely integrated models, established by some big companies. Noneof these models provides ideal solutions from the perspective of small producers. However,they say that the institutions, such as cooperatives and small farmers’ organisations, presentimportant mechanisms for including small producers in modern value chains and realizing thecooperation with agribusiness companies and other important players. This is also importantfor decision-makers and governmental bodies that should create a suitable environment andprovide support so that small farmers and their organisations can integrate in modern valuechains in a successful way.